I nipped into our local grocery, usually a sane and sanitary place, and was immediately accosted by a lady offering "free tastes" of a nacho dip. I politely refused and went on to shop. Within a few minutes she appeared with a tray with "free tastes" of the dip. I again refused. Then at check out--you guessed it--she was working the line of people waiting to check out. I like "free", but I'm not interested in trying food at the grocery. I prefer to take it home and try it there. One, I don't know this lady and she wasn't wearing latex gloves, and two, I don't know how long that dip had been sitting out and what was in it. Do you take offered samples at the grocery? Next we'll discuss the open containers of beans, candy, etc. with the little scoop so you can fill your own bag.
I don't sample the food offered at grocery stores only because it is usually for food that I do not like. I would if it sounded good. And there is always the original container sitting next to the samples so you can read the ingredients at store here. If not then another thing to mention to the store manager. The lady offers those samples to dozens of people everyday, she can not be expected to remember every one she has already approached. You might mention the lack of gloves to the store manager, all the store sample ladies (and gents) wear gloves at stores around here. I have no problem scooping tea or other foods myself. Again if the bins are not covered then you should say something to the manager. But if the thought of them upsets you then you might not want to buy anything that is offered that way.
Jane that is normal here, but it is usually a planned event with many food companies offering their wares via samples throughout the store... but...... NO! grossola! I don't take "free" samples, either.
Gosh i do hate when asked to try a taste of goodies offered,..i find it uncomfortable standing there munching or drinking,..or sniffing perfume someone thinks i should buy for a lady friend,..i must admit i was caught,..once,..after a meal and a few glasses of wine in a shopping Mall,..a woman was asking people to try this skin cream,..caught me,..did my face go red whew,..standing there as people passed while she rubbed the cream on my arm aaaggggh,..in order to get away i purchased a box of assorted creams and cleansers "Sea,..something or other,..this was in Ohio,..sorry Carolyn,..luckily i knew a lady in Indiana who used the stuff.
Thanks Philip... I apologize for her rudeness.... the easiest excuse to use is "oh, no thank you, I have allergies" they can't prove it and you can feign interest without committing to anything... I truly had an allergy to formaldehyde for years and years of unbearable itching. It has seemed to subside, but I still use it often without guilt... I have no use for something that might cause a flare...
I don't mind the free samples so much, if it's something I like. However...salad bars are my nightmare!! We were at pizza one night and where I was sitting I watched this little boy eating sunflower seeds with the spoon!!! His mother was completely oblivious. After that I've always been a little on the leery side. Also, when we were dating my husband took me to KFC (big spender that he is) and I observed the same thing- a little kid went to the table and sucked on the honey bear like it was his bottle!!! That was over 30 years ago and I notice they don't use the honey bears anymore!!!
Oh Stratsmom, you are so right! We went to a "big, grand" grocery shortly after it opened and a neighbor raved about it, especially the olive wagon with all sorts of wonderful olives. As I was approaching the olive wagon I saw a mother with three children in her cart, picking up an olive and popping it in the child's mouth, then selecting another olive and doing the same, over and over. Kid slime! I went to the deli and told a clerk about the olive raid. The wagon was removed the next time we went (but didn't buy any olives!).
Heh, heh, heh....I know what you are talking about, Jane. I have sampled at the supermarket before upon occasion...but not usually. As for the nagging--well, I do not like nagging no matter what the source.
We have two grocery stores that cater to people who are not likely to have children or are older and the kids are grown and gone. We like going to those. They do have the olive bars, food bins that you scoop your own from and take home salad bars. And so far we have never seen any icky-ness happening at them.
Toni, you are lucky to have two groceries that cater to a select population. We have one grocery, and whether we go to our local small grocery, or to the larger ones in a nearby larger town, we find that the free, scoop your own, or the open to the public foods (like the olive wagon) just aren't appealing.
One of our favorites is Central Market, it's part of the HEB chain but cleaner, more healthy choices and without kids. The other is Natural Grocers, not wide spread around the state but there is one in Temple, closest to you.
I guess I'm a 50/50er. Sometimes I like what and how something is being served and other times not. Mostly things here seem to be pre-cut up and placed into little frilly paper cups. Depending on what it is I don't mind those but if it is platter style where everybody is fingering the finger food - NO. On another note one of our local grocery stores offers FREE bananas to any little kids coming into the store. They make a stack of all the ripe single bananas and have a standard sign to parents indicating "THESE BANANAS" are free for their kids to eat while shopping. Really neat healthy offering
Our local grocery store has a shelf by the entrance of the store asking parents to give their children a piece of fruit. I think that is great! At the same store, there is a sign at the bakery that says for kids to ask for your free cookie. One of my biggest pet peeves is parents that allow their children to run amok in grocery stores (or anywhere for that matter!) That same store has an olive bar, and I have never seen anyone even standing at it! I'm not an olive fan, and just the smell of the cart makes my stomach turn. At the mall, I just hate those salespeople that stand in the aisles and are very aggressive. I pass by without even making eye contact lol
Same here, there is a large basket of fresh fruit near the door free for the children. When I worked in the bakery we gave out free cookies to the kids but now with so many allergies to peanut butter they won't give them with out a parent's consent. I also avoid the free taste tests. Don't know who handled the stuff. Shoppers passing by coughing and picking at the offerings. And those self serve bins at Bulk Barn and such stores. Seen adults reaching in and grabbing handfuls instead of using the scoops provided. I took food safe courses and seen through black light and microscopes what lurks on the food. I can handle my own germs but not someone else's!
